A Las Vegas man facing the death penalty in the slaying of a 75-year-old woman should not be allowed to cover his neo-Nazi tattoos with makeup when he goes to trial, a judge ruled Thursday.

By DAVID FERRARA LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

October 20, 2016 - 10:12 pm

Bayzle Morgan appears before Judge Richard Scotti at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on July 21, 2016, left, and after a courtroom makeup artist covered his tattoos with makeup for his trial July 25, 2016, right. (Richard Brian/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @vegasphotograph

Bayzle Morgan, a neo-Nazi, appears at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on Thursday, Aug.18, 2016. Morgan faces the death penalty in the slaying of a 75-year-old woman. (Jeferson Applegate/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Defense lawyer Dayvid Figler during the the murder trial of Bayzle Morgan at Regional Justice Center on Friday, Oct 14, 2016. Morgan is facing the death penalty in the slaying of a 75-year-old woman.Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @jeffscheid

Bayzle Morgan, facing the death penalty in the slaying of a 75-year-old woman, during his murder trial at Regional Justice Center on Friday, Oct 14, 2016. The court ruled that the swastika tattoo etched under his left eye can not be covered during trial. Jeff Scheid/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @jeffscheid

A Las Vegas man facing the death penalty in the slaying of a 75-year-old woman should not be allowed to cover his neo-Nazi tattoos with makeup when he goes to trial, a judge ruled Thursday.

A swastika within a clover is permanently etched under Bayzle Morgan’s left eye. The words “Most Wanted” are scrawled across his forehead, and “Baby Nazi” is tattooed on the 25-year-old’s neck, and two more white supremacist tattoos are located where his eyebrows should be.

Morgan gained international media attention earlier this year after a different judge ordered the tattoos covered during a separate robbery trial.

He is facing a second trial in the slaying of 75-year-old Jean Main, which occurred just days before the robbery. That trial, once scheduled to start on Halloween, has been postponed.

“I’m just not convinced you tried hard enough to pick a jury,” said District Judge Michelle Leavitt, who is overseeing the murder case. “They could be impacted; they just have to be fair and impartial, regardless of the fact that they don’t like the tattoos or they impact them in a negative way. They should be able to set it aside. And it’s just outrageous if a juror can’t do that.”

Prosecutors said that in May 2013 Morgan broke into Main’s home in the 8000 block of Green Pasture Avenue, while she was alone, pistol-whipped her over the head so hard that the trigger guard broke into pieces, and then shot her in the back of the head. Her boyfriend found her face down in a first-floor bathroom.

A getaway driver, identified as Keith Smith, now 49, left when he heard gunshots but returned and saw Morgan with a suitcase of items from the victim’s house. Smith was sentenced this month to four to 10 years in prison on burglary charges.

Police recovered a laptop, a Kindle Fire, a purse with $800 and keys to a Cadillac Escalade at Morgan’s residence when he was arrested.

Defense lawyer Dayvid Figler called the makeup “a unique solution” and “a viable alternative” and pointed to “weeping,” “nervous,” “frightened” and “angry” potential jurors who said they could not have decided the robbery case with fairness after seeing his tattoos.

At age 18 in 2010, Morgan was ordered to serve 19 to 48 months behind bars on a charge of possession of a stolen vehicle. In a mugshot from High Desert State Prison at the time, there are no visible tattoos on his face. Figler said the markings were prison-made.

“The tattoos have nothing to do with this (murder) case,” Figler said. “However there is the potential that they could prejudice him, due to no fault of his own, because of the nature and circumstances of how those tattoos came onto his face in the first place.”

In August, with his tattoos covered by makeup, Morgan was convicted of robbery. Jurors were unaware Morgan’s tattoos had been concealed, and some told the Review-Journal that seeing the markings would not have changed their verdict.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Giancarlo Pesci said none of the evidence in the murder case relates to Morgan’s tattoos. In the robbery trial, “we just didn’t have the right approach in getting a jury,” the prosecutor said.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.

CCSD police arrested Chaparral High School custodian Deamonte Warren on Friday on three counts of a school employee having sex with a student and an additional count of providing alcohol to a minor. (Courtesy CCSD Police)

Woman charged with sex trafficking an 11-year-old girl on the Strip (Michael Quine)

Gigi Mitchell faces seven felony charges including sex trafficking and child abuse for bringing an 11-year-old girl to the Las Vegas Strip to work as a prostitute.

A motorcycle officer pulled over a Mercedes SUV, and after the officer came to a stop, it shifted into reverse, intentionally hitting the officer.

Thedrick Andres becomes Henderson Police Department acting chief

Henderson Police Department Acting Chief Thedrick Andres speaks about his goals in his new position at the Henderson Police headquarters, Monday, April 29, 2019. (Caroline Brehman/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

2 dead, 1 wounded after east valley neighborhood shooting

One man and one woman are dead and another man wounded after a shooting Thursday afternoon in an east valley neighborhood.

Bail denied for former police detective charged with murder

Bail was denied Tuesday for former Metropolitan Police Department detective, Pamela Rene Bordeaux who is accused of fatally shooting her daughter’s ex-husband during supervised visitation with his child.

Third suspect in death of California doctor appears in court

The third and final suspect in the killing of a California doctor, Jon Kennison, 27, appears in court Friday, April 19, 2019. Kennison, Kelsey Nichole Turner, a former model, and Diana Pena, face charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Richard Cleaves of Pahrump arrested in burglary on former Binion property

Updated press release regarding burglary on a former Binion property: Richard Cleaves, 56 of Pahrump, has been arrested on a warrant for burglary, conspiracy to commit grand larceny, and destruction of property. (Nye County Sheriff's Office)

Judge denies bail for suspect charged in the killing of California doctor

Diana Pena, one of three people charged in the killing of a California doctor, is being held without bail after her fingerprints were found on the car where Dr. Thomas Burchard's body was discovered.

Ex-NFL player and girlfriend held without bail in child’s death

Former professional football player Cierre Wood and his girlfriend, Amy Taylor, face charges of murder and child abuse in the death of Taylor's 5-year-old daughter. (Michael Quine/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

"90 Day Fiance" stars Colt Johnson and his mother Debra left the Las Vegas Justice Center Thursday, after the court granted Larissa dos Santos Lima a continuance in her misdemeanor case, in which she is accused of domestic violence against Colt. (Mat Luschek / Review-Journal)

Details released on in-custody death

Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank addresses media about details of an in-custody death at Clark County Detention Center on March 31. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The community joined friends and family at Wilbur & Theresa Faiss Park, Wednesday evening, to remember the boy who was struck and killed by a car crossing South Fort Apache Road from Faiss Park, near West Maule Avenue, on Monday. (Mat Luschek / Review-Journal)

Person of Interest Found For Downtown Las Vegas Bar - Video

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is seeking help to find a person of interest in a potential homicide case at a bar in downtown Las Vegas.

Metro briefs media on OIS near downtown Las Vegas

Police address media about officer-involved shooting that started on Maryland and Vegas Valley, and concluded downtown, near the Golden Nugget.

Update on OIS at Vegas Valley and Maryland

The incident began at the Steinberg Diagnostic Medical parking lot and ended downtown.

Amy And Spencer Powell Recount Hit And Run

Amy Powell and her son Spencer recount the day Spencer was hit by a truck while riding his bike. (Mat Luschek / Review-Journal)

Jeremy Burch of Tonopah arrested in Amarillo, TX

Jeremy Burch of Tonopah was arrested in Amarillo, TX on a Nye County warrant for open murder, burglary, obtaining money under false pretense, use of credit card w/o owner consent, and destruction of evidence. (Nye County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)

Metro Presser For OIS 6 (Full)

Metro police address the officer involved shooting that took place on March 19, 2019.

Metro Presser For OIS 6

Metro police address the officer involved shooting that took place on March 19, 2019.

Domestic disturbance call ends in suicide

A man died by suicide after police tried negotiating with him outside of his ex-girlfriend’s home on March 13. (Michael Quine/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Vegas88s

20-year-old armed robbery suspect shot by Las Vegas police

A 20-year-old armed robbery suspect shot by a Las Vegas officer on Saturday night is also accused of burglarizing a Boys & Girls Club minutes before the shooting.

Commercial Robbery On 3000 Block Of North Las Vegas Blvd - VIDEO

On February 19th, 2019, at approximately 10:23 am, a robbery occurred to a business located on the 3000 block of North Las Vegas Boulevard. The pictured suspect entered the business, approached the counter and pointed a firearm at the victim demanding money. The victim complied and the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported.